Properly

Chapter 20: Surprise, Surprise

After Dad came and picked me up from school, a wave of satisfaction coursed through me. That was in part due to Benjamin's and Owen's comeuppance with being rewarded with the perfect time to "expose" their parent's escapades.

A quick text from Owen informing me that he would call me and put me on speakerphone excited me, though also raised a few thoughts into mind.

Wait, will Benjamin's dad also bring up my dad? Shoot, Benjamin will flip his crap if he found that out.

"Hey, Dad?"

"Yeah?" He answered,

"You know how Benjamin is trying to call his father out? Well.... he may be doing that tonight and what if-"

"Oh, crap." Dad's eyes sparked open, despite his increasingly overwhelmed exhaustion from work lowering his eyes.
"Zach, just to be clear, I-I-I never did anything- anything at all with Benjamin's dad, okay? I- I uh..."

I peered over and noticed his eyes darting between the population of vehicles and walking pedestrians worryingly. My mind clicked.

"Wait, do you mean that you fooled around with other guys?!" I almost instinctively retracted myself from the thought of my father having sex.

"Don't you be assuming anything!" Dad slugged my forearm.
"And-and I don't think this is an appropriate conversation for a dad and son to have so...! How's school?!"

Several hours, and a very brief school report from me later, I scribbled away at the three weeks that remained until mid-terms.

I found myself muttering to myself, "Richard said we could study with one-another at his library, so that'll be Mondays, Wednesdays, and Friday's."

"Now what for Tuesdays and Thursdays and the weekend? Hm. I guess... I guess I'll just study on my own accord-"

That's when my phone began chiming the upbeat monster music remix song I set for Owen's number.

It was time, and I just nearly swept kicked the entirety of my textbooks, written notes, and dulled pencils off my bed and answered tentatively.

"Owen, put your phone away, don't be rude!" An older, more mature voice similar to Owen said.

"Yeah... sorry uh...sorry..." I heard Owen mumble.

I nipped at my lip in anticipation for when Owen or Benjamin would ever so casually bring up the subject of their fathers' alleged homoerotic adventures.

A few minutes of a casual conversation between their fathers later, mainly related to work, how Owen's dad considered applying for weekends, reminiscing about high school memories, when Benjamin finally sparked my fading interest with, "Hey, Dad? Speaking of... of high school..."

I just about chirped with anticipation for any possible scolding.

Terrance answered, "Yes?"

"Dad... I-I found this picture- I mean- I took this picture and I saw you," I heard a slip of several sheets flap, "I saw you at the art museum when that one gay artist's works were up and then talk with the-the uh..."

"Benjamin, what in the world are you rambling on about?"

Owen spoke up, uncertainly, "Mr. Mutton, Benjamin and I have been thinking and... we believe that you and my dad are... lovers." 

A moment of silence. Dead, tense, suffocating silence. 

"So your friend Zachary's father was right." The menacing lull of Benjamin's father intimidated even me, despite me being miles upon miles away. Despite him explicitly stating my name and my father, I could practically imagine Benjamin deflating under the presence of two incredibly furious fathers. 

"You HAVE been going through my things. I didn't want to believe my SON would dare invade my privacy like I ignored his little escapades with Richard-"

Benjamin retorted, "Richard was the only one who actually cared about me! At least he wasn't obsessed with putting a camera to my face and asking me to dance for him!"

"Richard was-"

"Richard cared and still cares about me! I-I can't believe you made me break up with him! Isn't he what you always expect me to be like in the future?! Tons of money just spilling out my pockets and a huge ass mansion and servants and all that other crap! But no! He was a guy and 'homosexuality is bad and unnatural' and blah blah BLAH! I know you're gay too Dad! Why-why..."

Benjamin's rant turned into him fighting back bottled up emotions before Owen's dad angrily asked, "Owen, what's-what's- what the hell is all this you brought up?!"

Stirring the pot, Owen spat, "Shut up! Just shut up! You're also telling me that being gay is such a crime against nature, yet I bet you're up in this house letting Benjamin's dad do whatever the hell he wants with you so you can get more money! You're a kissass!"

And just like that, began a pandamonium of arguing. You did this, you do that- he did this, he said that. I just had to share the experience with my dad. He was immediately invested after I explained that the incoherent screaming was Benjamin and Owen confronting their father's about their late-night rendezvous with each other. Dad actually did the most reasonable thing to do in this situation; bring out some barbeque potato chips and enjoy the podcast.

Dad even shrugged in agreement whenever Benjamin mentioned Terrance disliking homosexuality and accused him again and again of having an affair, and pursed his lips whenever Owen shouted how his dad was always kissing up to people at work, and especially towards Terrance.

"Well, if it makes you feel any better about this...," Dad said amidst the quieting arguing, "Terrance and I never did anything. I'll leave it at that-"

"Well guess what Benji, you're not the only one who had to break up with a boyfriend in high school!"

Dad coughed, "Oh crap, Terrance isn't ready to tell-"

He immediately grabbed his own phone, while I stayed in minimal shock at this confession.

"Wait, Dad! What do you mean?!" I hoarsed a whisper.

"End the call! End the call!" He whispered back, holding his dialing phone up to his ear. I obeyed, more so out of confusion and interest at what Dad was about to do. And what he did, was say, "Terrance? Hey! Put me on speaker really quick? yeah, my phone is acting up again. Anyways, I was wondering if you had the files and presentation set up for the annoucement? We have to really sell the LGBT youth help center if you want to show your son you really care about this part of him."

A clearing of the throat later, "Ah- yes I-I'm nervous for it though. I mean ah..."

Dad continued with the lie, that wasn't exactly a lie, "Hey, don't worry about it. Think about it this way, I mean, you wish you could've had some help understanding this topic too, right? I mean, growing up in this city 20 years ago wasn't exactly the best place for a developing teenager. And ah... think about how proud Colson would've been, okay? Take care man. I-I'm here if you ever need to talk."

With that, Dad ended the call, releasing a gust of air built up his chest.

"I'm assuming that was a lie you just said right now?" I inquired.

"Well, yes and no. Terrance is thinking about constructing a youth help center though. And... don't tell him I told you this..."

I nodded and leaned in to hear a massive secret. 

"Colson was an actual person. He was Terrance's boyfriend when we were in community college, and...he may have been the reason why Terry said what he said."

This was stuck in my mind for the remainder of the night. I thought once you reached a certain age, commonly around 18, you had a firm grasp on what was true and false, what was natural and unnatural. 

If I had known how eventful Terrance's life was up until that point, if Dad hadn't reconnected with an old, old friend, I wouldn't have understood how strange our minds can react and process things, especially when we lose loved ones such as I did when my mother left my father and I, how much of a shock it can be to suddenly transfer schools, or even lose the person you figured would be around forever . And on Benjamin's and Owen's behalf, I am ashamed.